Credit Cards With Travel Protections

All information about the American Express® Green Card has been collected independently by 10xTravel.

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst—with the right credit card in your wallet, you can do exactly that.

Travel rewards credit cards often come with a selection of travel protection perks. These perks can include trip cancellation and interruption insurance, trip and baggage delay insurance, car rental insurance and emergency evacuation and transportation insurance.

Instead of having to take out a separate insurance plan when traveling, you can simply use your card to pay for the service you want insured and you’ll receive coverage.

Let’s run through which cards offer travel protection perks and look at the benefits of credit card travel protections.

American Express 

American Express offers a wide range of credit cards with travel protection perks. 

Generally speaking, Amex’s premium high annual fee cards all offer an array of similar travel protection benefits. These include cards such as

• The Platinum Card® by American Express
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
• Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card

For example, for an annual fee of $695 (see rates and fees), the Amex Platinum Card includes the following travel protection perks:

• Car rental loss and damage insurance providing secondary coverage of up to $75,000*
• Trip delay reimbursement of up to $500 per trip for delays of six hours or more with a maximum of two claims per 12-month period*
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance of up to $10,000 per trip and up to $20,000 per card account per 12-month period*
• Baggage insurance plan with reimbursement of up to $2,000 for checked baggage and a combined maximum of up to $3,000 for checked and carry-on baggage. For New York State residents, a $2,000 per bag limit for each covered person applies with a $10,000 aggregate maximum for all covered persons per trip*

However, travel protection perks aren’t exclusive to Amex’s premium travel rewards cards. In fact, most Amex travel rewards cards come with varying levels of protection. 

The difference between Amex’s various card travel protection policies is the level to which you’re eligible for reimbursement. That said, its $0 annual fee cards and other low-tier cards have a more limited scope of insurance perks, in addition to lower coverage limits.

Cards such as the American Express® Gold Card and American Express® Green Card offer a good balance between travel protection perks and annual fees, charging $325 (see rates and fees) and $150 respectively.

American Express® Gold Card

Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

LEARN MORE

Bilt

For a $0 annual fee, the Bilt Mastercard® offers a comprehensive range of travel protections.

You’ll receive up to $5,000 in reimbursement for a non-refundable passenger fare if your trip is interrupted or canceled, under its Trip Cancellation and Interruption Protection policy. Its Trip Delay Reimbursement policy will reimburse you for up to $200 per day for a maximum of three days if your trip is delayed by six hours or more.

Similarly, when renting a car at home or abroad, you’ll be covered up to $50,000 in the event of collision damage or theft, under its Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver benefit. Coverage is primary and available everywhere except Israel, Jamaica, the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Capital One

Many of Capital One’s cards come with travel protection perks. This is true for its Visa Signature cards, Visa Infinite cards and World Elite Mastercards. The following cards all include travel protection perks for cardholders:

• Capital One® Venture X® Rewards Credit Card
• Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card
• Capital One® VentureOne® Rewards Credit Card
• Capital One® Quicksilver® Rewards Credit Card
• Capital One® Savor® Rewards Credit Card

Here’s an overview of what some of Capital One’s credit cards have to offer in insurance perks.

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card includes the following travel protection perks for an annual fee of $395:

• Auto rental collision damage waiver providing primary coverage of up to $75,000—up to 15 days in the U.S. and 31 days abroad
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance of up to $2,000 per insured person
• Trip delay reimbursement of up to $500 per ticket for delays of six hours or more
• Common carrier insurance up to $1,000,000 for accidental loss of life, limb, sight, speech or hearing
• Lost luggage reimbursement of up to $3,000 per covered trip (up to $2,000 for New York state residents)

In comparison, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers the following travel protections for an annual fee of $95:

• Auto rental collision damage waiver providing secondary coverage up to the actual cash value of the car
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance of up to $1,500 per insured person
• Common carrier insurance up to $1,000,000 for accidental loss of life, limb, sight, speech or hearing
• Lost luggage reimbursement of up to $1,500 per covered trip with a maximum of two claims per 12-month period

Lastly, the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card offers the following travel protections for a $0 annual fee:

• Auto rental collision damage waiver providing secondary coverage up to the actual cash value of the car
• Baggage delay reimbursement of up to $100 per day for a maximum of three days for baggage delays of four hours or more
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance of up to $1,500 per insured person
• Lost luggage reimbursement of up to $1,500 per covered trip with a maximum of two claims per 12-month period

Overall, Capital One offers a solid range of credit cards with travel protections, for every annual fee class.

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Earn 75,000 bonus miles

after you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening.

LEARN MORE 

Chase

When it comes to travel protection perks, Chase offers some of the most comprehensive protection packages of any card on the market. Not to mention, almost all of its cards come with varying levels of travel protection perks.

The Chase Sapphire family offers the most lucrative combination of travel protection perks. As a Chase Sapphire Reserve® cardholder, you’ll be protected by the following benefits:

• Primary auto rental collision damage waiver providing reimbursement up to $75,000 for theft and collision damage for rental cars in the U.S. and abroad
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance providing reimbursement of up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip for your pre-paid, non-refundable travel expenses, including passenger fares, tours and hotels
• Trip delay reimbursement of up to $500 per ticket for delays of more than six hours or those requiring an overnight stay
• Travel accident insurance and common carrier insurance of up to $1,000,000 
• Lost luggage reimbursement of up to $3,000 per passenger
• Baggage delay insurance of up to $100 per day for a maximum duration of five days when your baggage is delayed by six hours or more
• Emergency evacuation and transportation insurance of up to $100,000
• Emergency medical and dental benefits of up to $2,500 for you or your immediate family, when you’re 100 miles or more from home

This combination of travel protection perks is arguably the most comprehensive out of any credit card. If you’re not willing to pay the Sapphire Reserve’s $550 annual fee, you could opt for similar protection under the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card’s policies for $95 per year. The Sapphire Preferred card comes with the following travel protection perks:

• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance of up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip for your pre-paid, non-refundable travel expenses, including passenger fares, tours and hotels
• Primary auto rental collision damage waiver providing coverage up to the actual cash value of the car for rental cars in the U.S. and abroad
• Baggage delay insurance of up to $100 per day for a maximum duration of five days when your baggage is delayed by six hours or more
• Trip delay reimbursement of up to $500 per ticket for delays of 12 hours or more
• Lost luggage reimbursement of up to $3,000 per passenger
• Travel accident insurance of up to $500,000

And if you aren’t interested in paying anything in annual fees, both the Chase Freedom Flex® and Chase Freedom Unlimited® offer the following travel protection perks for a $0 annual fee:

• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance of up to $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip
• Auto rental collision damage waiver providing reimbursement up to the actual cash value of the rental car

Most of Chase’s co-branded airline and hotel cards as well as its business cards also include varying levels of travel protection perks.

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. 

LEARN MORE 

Citi

Citi offers travel protection perks on a limited range of its travel rewards credit cards. 

The most lucrative offering is that on the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card, which includes the following travel protection perks for a $95 annual fee:

• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance of up to $5,000 per trip and $1,000 per account per 12-month period
• Trip delay reimbursement of up to $500 per covered trip with a maximum of two claims per 12-month period
• Lost or damaged luggage reimbursement of up to $3,000 per covered trip ($2,000 for New York state residents) with a maximum of two claims per 12-month period
• MasterRental car coverage providing secondary coverage and reimbursement up to the actual cash value of the car

Citi also includes certain travel protection perks on the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® and the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi.

What Are Credit Card Travel Protections?

Credit card travel protections are complimentary insurance policies offered by certain premium credit cards. These protections are typically offered by the credit card issuer in partnership with an insurance firm.

Credit card travel insurance protection perks include the following:

• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
• Trip delay insurance 
• Baggage delay insurance
• Baggage loss reimbursement
• Car rental insurance
• Emergency evacuation and transportation insurance
• Common carrier insurance
• Emergency medical and dental benefit

Generally speaking, the higher the annual fee of a travel rewards card, the more travel protections it will offer and the higher each policy’s limit will be. That said, there are travel rewards cards that offer more comprehensive travel protections for $95 per year compared to some cards charging upward of $400 annually.

Here’s a brief overview of what you can expect from each credit card travel protection policy.

Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance

Trip cancellation and interruption insurance cover you in the event your trip is cut short by a covered reason. You’ll be reimbursed for non-refundable expenses, up to a certain dollar amount.

Typical covered reasons include:

• Accidental bodily injury
• Severe weather
• Severe illness
• Natural disasters
• Terrorist action

Trip cancellation and interruption insurance will usually reimburse you for the cost of your common carrier fare, while other policies may cover the cost of other prepaid activities or even new common carrier tickets. 

Trip Delay Insurance

Trip delay insurance reimburses you in the event that your common carrier is delayed by a covered reason.

Typical covered reasons include:

• Terrorist action
• Inclement weather
• Equipment failure on the part of the common carrier, such as mechanical issues
• Stolen or lost travel documents, such as passports 

Trip delay insurance reimburses you up to a certain dollar amount per ticket for delays that meet a minimum duration. For instance, you might be reimbursed by up to $300 per ticket for delays that exceed 12 hours or require an overnight stay.

You’ll be reimbursed for card issuer-defined “reasonable expenses” that usually include meals, accommodation, transport and toiletries.

Car Rental Insurance

Credit card car rental insurance covers you in the event of theft or collision damage, including towing and loss-of-use charges. To be eligible for coverage, you need to decline the rental car company’s collision damage waiver (CDW) and charge the entire cost to your eligible credit card.

Most policies cover you up to the actual cash value of the car or $50,000–$75,000, whichever is less.

Coverage can either be secondary or primary. In the event that you have no other auto insurance policy or are hiring a car abroad, secondary coverage kicks in as primary coverage.

You’re typically covered for between 15 and 31 days at home and abroad. Certain card issuers exclude specific countries—usually Australia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica and New Zealand—while others cover every country.

Keep in mind that certain “exotic” and expensive car models, as well as those older than 20 years old, are excluded from coverage. The exact exclusions vary by card issuer so ensure to check your policy’s fine print.

Emergency Medical Insurance

Credit card emergency medical insurance covers you for the cost of emergency medical treatments received while traveling.

Different credit card travel protections fall under the emergency medical insurance category, including the following:

• Emergency medical and dental insurance
• Emergency evacuation and transportation coverage
• Common carrier travel insurance

Emergency medical and dental insurance covers you for the expenses of procedures you’ve undergone while traveling that were deemed medically necessary by a qualified physician. This insurance covers a wide range of costs from hospital stays and laboratory tests to the labor costs of medical professionals.

Emergency evacuation and transportation coverage reimburses you for the costs of your extraction to the nearest hospital in the event you’re injured or severely ill while traveling. It’s important to note that you must have the consent of your benefits administrator before enacting an evacuation, otherwise the costs won’t be eligible for reimbursement.

Common carrier travel insurance covers you in the event of accidental loss of limbs, life, speech, hearing or sight when traveling with, entering or exiting a common carrier. Certain policies also cover you both immediately before and after transit with your common carrier. Depending on what the exact injury is, you’ll receive a percentage of the maximum payout.

Baggage Loss and Delay Insurance

Credit card baggage delay insurance reimburses you for the purchase of essential items in the event that your baggage is lost or delayed when traveling with a common carrier.

Baggage delay policies reimburse you up to a specific dollar amount for a specified maximum number of days when your baggage is delayed for a certain minimum duration. For example, a policy might offer up to $100 in reimbursement for up to five days when your baggage is delayed for more than six hours.

Likewise, baggage loss insurance reimburses you up to a specific dollar amount in the event that a common carrier loses your bag. The policy also usually includes a sub-limit for certain high-value items such as electronics and jewelry.

Benefits of Credit Card Travel Protections

Credit card travel protections provide a number of benefits, the first being convenience.

In most cases, you don’t need to enroll in credit card travel protection plans to be covered. Instead, you need to use your credit card to pay for the costs of a situation, good or service that you want insured.

For instance, if you have a card that offers trip cancellation and interruption insurance, you’ll receive coverage only when you charge the entire cost of your common carrier fare to your credit card. If you instead paid for your common carrier fare using a different credit or debit card, you wouldn’t receive coverage.

The second benefit of credit card travel protections is that they save you on needing to take out a separate insurance policy. In the event that an accident does happen, you won’t need to worry about your premiums shooting up and often don’t even need to pay a deductible.

Lastly, credit card travel protections typically extend to cover your immediate family members. While the conditions and limitations vary by policy and card issuer, your immediate family can benefit from your credit card travel insurance protections, saving you even more money on separate insurance plans.

Final Thoughts

Credit card travel protection perks are often overlooked. Yet, they provide significant value and utility, helping you to offset a card’s annual fee in many cases.

The perks and policies available vary widely between card issuers, with Chase and Amex offering the highest number of cards with travel protection perks.

While you shouldn’t choose a credit card based solely on its travel protection perks, it can certainly play an important role in your decision-making process.

* Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.

** For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply

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